Supporters of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), run from water-cannon blasts and tear gas after police barred them from attending a rally in the capital. Leader of the party Morgan Tsvangirai had planned to use the gathering to launch a campaign for the presidency. The MDC had a court ruling allowing them to hold the event, but police ignored the decision. Tension was high, inflation was running at 1,600 percent and unemployment at 70 percent, after President Mugabe announced plans to defer presidential elections.